Harold Bratcher is a Republican running for U.S. Representative from Kentucky’s 3rdDistrict.

Terrorism and National Security

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At home, we need to continue to strengthen inter-agency communication and relationships, and we need to thoroughly vet anyone entering our country. National security is the firstjob of the federal government, and I take it very seriously.

Weighing Privacy vs. National Security

We can and will preserve both, We should not violate the Fourth Amendment, but we should do everything in our power to stay one step ahead of anyone seeking to harm us.

Role of U.S. in Foreign Conflict

We are not the world’s police force. Our military is designed to protect our people and interests, and should be limited to this scope. Still, we have a role to play, diplomatically, around the world. In Syria, the lines between our allies and enemies have been blurred. Information at a much deeper level than I or any other layman possess is needed to decide what the next correct move is there.

Immigration Reform

We are a nation of immigrants, but we have laws on the books that must be followed. National security must be our first concern with immigration reform, but we should reform the system as soon as possible to get all undocumented workers on the books and out of the shadows.

Drug Crisis -- Heroin and Opioid Abuse

Attempting to fight this or that pill or substance has failed us, simply raising the cost of that target and sending users to the next one. First we need to secure our borders. Attacking the supply chain is an important step in combating these issues. Second, we need to address addicts by focusing our efforts on treatment and rehabilitation.

Gun Reform

I strongly support the 2nd Amendment, and I will defend it. None of the so-called solutions offered by gun reformers would have had an impact on the mass shootings they use to justify their reforms. Show me a reform that will respect the 2nd Amendment and actually have an impact, and I’ll gladly consider it.

Tax Reform

We need to cut taxes across the board to put more money in the hands of the middle class; they work hard for it, and they should keep more of it. Cutting taxes across across the board will stimulate job growth, and the new growth will create more tax revenues.

We need to balance our budget, and that means cutting wasteful spending to reduce our deficit. We have a federal government that tries to do too much. When we bring transparency and accountability to Washington, we can finally weigh our priorities with a fixed goal of a balanced budget in mind.

Government Role in Health Care

Our government needs to make sure healthcare is affordable and everyone has access to it, but it should not be mandated.

Cost Of College Education

Guaranteed federal student loans have long upset the market balance and inflated the cost of college. We need to find new and innovative ways to decrease costs and improve the near-term career prospects for graduates. Improving the economy will further decrease the impact of the cost of higher education as well.

Climate ChangWe have the tools and resources to manage our environmental impact and keep our air and water clean. We should do all we can in that regard, but while balancing the impact on industry and jobs. Our regulators too often exceed their purview and think only of the next thing we can do, while ignoring what we should do. Understanding the impacts of regulatory decisions is critically important as we seek to minimize our negative impact on the environment.

Gridlock in Washington

Partisanship dominates our politics, and it is a shame. The fact that our Congressman couldn’t think of a time he reached across the aisle to work with Republicans says more than enough. We need a representative who will strive for common ground and work to rebuild the people’s trust in government.